Saturday, September 28, 2013

Zafira Kerias: Freedom's Price (Part 5)


Zafira and Javier stood together. They watched as the entire community came together. They were misled. They were attacked. And the battle for America's safety rested solely on the lives of everyone in that community on Manhattan. 
"Javier." Zafira whispered quietly taking his hand. He kissed her cheek and then they watched. All watched. Mevolent's army had teleported in and had put Zafira's entire community on lockdown. They either gave up America or fought. They would fight. 

The battle approached. Alexis, Zafira and Javier would fight. 
"Alexis Zaf if we survive...I'll be glad." Javier smiled. They hugged and then the groups of mages attacked. Zafira stayed back watching waiting. Javier fought against many people killing most others hurting him. He did not back down. Zafira heard a baby's cry and shadow-walked. Serpine held Jayla in his hand. Upon seeing Zafira he pointed his red hand at her and she fell screaming in utter pain. Serpine turned it to Jayla and before Zafira could move the baby was dead. Serpine ran and Zafira chased him. Mevolent himself came and blocked her path. The god-killer sword in his hand. Zafira stopped dead in her tracks backing away. Only to find that her way was blocked by another person.
"Let. Me. Go." Zafira snapped. Mevolent merely laughed and sent her into a tree. He grabbed her and held her two feet off the ground. Shadows wrapped around his arm and Zafira smiled. 
"Haha. Ready to feel my anger?" She snapped. Mevolent took the oppurtunity to force Zafira to watch the worst thing imaginable. She watched in horror as Javier was taken from the battle by Redhoods.
"JAVIER!!!!" She screamed, Mevolent laughed and dropped her. 
"Give me America." He demanded. Zafira shook her head and she felt a knife in her cheek. She screamed and again and again knife cuts all over her body appeared. Mevolent left her on the ground, his forces leaving but Serpine took her. 

Within the Palace Mevolent had Zafira in the cells and Javier too. His final attempt to break Zafira was about to unfold. He took a dagger and stabbed Javier through the heart. Zafira's screams and sobs echoed around the castle. Her chains unlocked and she ran to Javier trying to heal him. 

*A few weeks later*
Alexis stood beside her mother. They waited as the wind swept through the graveyard. Alexis placed the flowers on the gravestone crying. Zafira's eyes showed the anger and fear she felt. How could this have happened? She did not know. A man approached from behind,
"Grand Mage Kerias?" He asked. Zafira turned, "Who are you?" She asked as Alexis sat looking at the grave of her youngest sister. The man smiled,
"Javier Fyreheart." And he took Zafira in his arms and they kissed. Passionate. 

The crowd of sorcerers around the Sanctuary halls erupted into cheers over the Global Link. America was for the first time safe. Borders secured Mevolent supporters rounded up. Zafira stood up and began her speech,
"Many of us lost lives protected America. Name upon name is in the Hall of Remembrance. Yet we did it again, Mevolent is no longer in America. I thank everyone dead or alive. Without you I may not have stood here. Millions of mortals lost their lives to Niccolò Croatoan but we know now we are lucky to be alive. We did well. Thank you." She stood back and finally went home. After all, she did have a family and husband to attend to.  

Javier held her close as they watched the sunset. War was raging elsewhere but America was safe ad just in this moment they stayed together. By some unspoken nod they both began to sing, the dead friends they knew seemed to come to their eyes as they began the song soon Alexis and her friends joined, and the people who survived now only roughly 100 mages but it echoed to the night as if to remember the lost souls of the dead and so they sung,
Do you hear the people sing
Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light.

For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies.
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise.

They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord.
We will walk behind the ploughshare;
We will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken
And all men will have their reward.

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!

Ah!
Ah!
Ah!
Tomorrow comes

The night went on. The few Elementals left lit a fire and they waited in a silence so eerie yet peaceful, it was a silence like no other. A silent vigil. It was freedom's price, the price to pay for the freedom they have from Mevolent. The lives were a cost to pay. They paid the price of freedom and won. They were free. Javier held Zafira close the entire night. 

Monday, September 16, 2013

Cadence Nightwish: Fresh Pastures

Cadence looked left and right before using her stiletto heel to jemmy open the window. She slipped in with ease and closed the window behind her with a bang. She walked into the living room, then heard an unnerving noise. A gun. She was standing there in a skimpy turquoise halter top and a pair of pink jeggings. She was wearing new heels, plum purple, and had her hair in plaits. From the back, she would hardly be recognisable as Cadence Nightwish, which is why when she turned, she found her little brother pointing a flintlock pistol at her. His brow furrowed as he saw her face. "C-Cay?"
"Austin..." She frowned back. "What are you doing here?"
"Could ask you the same..."
"This is Belinda's old house..."
"I know..."
Someone else appeared behind Austin. A redhead with tanned skin. "And what do we have here?" He asked in a sleazy tone, sizing up Cadence's body. Cadence glared at him.
"Are you Austin's friend? No, I doubt you are...don't look at me like that, it's disgusting, I'm engaged."
Austin turned and waved Ursa Borealis away. "It's really good to see you again."
"Likewise."
"Are you okay? You look a little upset..."
She rolled her eyes. "You pointed a gun at me."
"Because I thought you were an intruder."
She heaved a sigh and looked at the floor. "Jasmin's dead. France has fallen."
"Ah." He hesitated for what seemed like the longest time before stepping forward and giving his sister the tightest hug he could muster. She hugged back and sat him down on the sofa, smiling softly at him.
"I'm so happy to see you again, Aussy."
"I'm sorry about Jasmin."
"Me too...it was a noble death, though...he was trying to be a...a human shield..." She mimed getting shot in the head. Austin winced.
"Jesus..."
"Left me a gift, actually."
He arched an eyebrow. "What gift? The shoes? They look new."
She laughed. "No, not the shoes..." She bit her lip, unwilling to tell him.
He shrugged and turned his head to look at the door as two girls came in. Daemon nodded politely to Cadence, who nodded back. "Hey Scaroe."
"Nightwish." She came over and sat beside Austin. "Long time no see."
"Yeah...how are you, anyway?"
Daemon shrugged. "Can't complain."
Cadence smiled "Good."
Austin prodded her. "What was the present?"
"It...doesn't matter."
"Something's wrong." He noted.
She rested a hand on her belly and looked away. "I hope there's room for me here...got nowhere else, unless I return to the temple..." The way she said it suggested it was not an option.
Austin gave a slight nod. "Legally, this place belongs to our family, they can't kick you out." He frowned. "Seriously, what aren't you telling me? I can always tell when you're keeping something back."
"Drop it."
He looked like he was going to argue, but instead gestured for Daemon to come over, and pulled her onto his lap.

-----

River examined the black veins across her skin in her reflection in a puddle. Her soft Brazilian features cut into a mosaic by the harsh, black lines. She heaved a sigh and rested her back against the bars. She could hear arguing in the distance. American accents. A light smile played across her face. Soothing. Familiar voices. She frowned. Familiar? She looked out across to the opposite cell, down to the sigil on her hand, the one that passed her pain to some other prisoner. Her eye was caught by a large, unsightly spider, scuttling to the dungeon entrance. One of Arachne's?
The doors opened. "No, seriously, the coast is clear. Honestly, Memphis, I'm not totally stupid."
"Yeah, as much as I would love to believe that from someone like you..." There was a joking tone to this man's voice...Boston accent...the other two were Texans...
The man who hadn't spoken yet after the door opened was tapping the bars he passed, counting under his breath. A dark-skinned man appeared at her cell and she scuttled back, veins shrinking in to be hidden. He began flicking through a little book. "Okay, remnant possessed Brazilian girl, long, brown, curly hair, tan skin, brown eyes, short...think I got her." He took a moment to be sure of measurements before slowly and carefully drawing a sigil over the lock of the door. Memphis and the unfortunate looking man with brown hair stood against the opposite cells.
"Mem!"
He nodded, smiling. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses. His eyes looked irritated. The door swung open and the man with dark skin pulled her to her feet.

She must have dozed off. When she woke back up, she found herself in a run down building. Of course, she didn't know it, but this was the same run down building the escaped prisoners, including Jasmin and Charles, had found Perseus in. "Nice place..." She muttered, shivering.
A blanket was draped over her shoulders by the brunette man. She frowned at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name...?"
"Xerxes."
Memphis smirked. "He's Melantha's brother. The other guy's called Nemo. They're experts at sneaking around, killing, breaking out war prisoners and vomiting spiders."
River pulled a face. "They're children of the spider?"
Memphis shrugged slightly. "Xerxes is. Quite close to the Torment, he was."
"Ew..." She shifted away from him and he looked upset.
"River's arachnophobic, Xerxes. Xerxes gets a little upset by rejection, River."
Both apologised softly.

-----

Walking down the street awkwardly were three men. Perseus Frivolidad, Charles Fiable and Dorcas Cascade. They spoke in hushed voices, of things other men and women walking down the narrow side street were not meant to hear. Perseus hung back a little, letting the other two yammer on. He was not in a good mood. They reached an empty road and the two leaders raised their voices a little. Perseus continued to ignore them, trailing behind even more. When the other two looked behind them to see what was taking him, he had stopped completely, brow furrowed, head tilted to hear better.
"Pers?" Charles asked, a little worried.
Dorcas shook his head. "Leave the kids round here alone, Frivolidad."
He ignored them again and ran off in the opposite direction. Dorcas looked worried and gave chase. "Frivolidad!"
Cascade had little chance of catching up to Frivolidad. He was skinny and unhealthy. Perseus was large and muscular, more than used to sprinting in life or death situations. Charles was faster than Cascade, and he felt he could catch his boyfriend up, but he didn't reach him before he skidded to a halt by some bins and started tearing off lids.
"Perseus! What are you-?"
"Shut up! can you hear it?"
"The crying baby? It's loud as a motorcycle, but..." His eyes widened. "It's in the bin?"
Perseus reached into one of the bins and pulled out an infant. Dark skin, newborn, male. He handed him to Charles and took off his jacket before wrapping the baby in the jacket. "Abandoned." He breathed, shocked.

((Trying to make up for killing Jasmin, guys. Look, I just gave Charles and Perseus a son :3))

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Perseus Frivolidad: "Charles Will Be Thrilled"

The Cuban Mage was sat cross-legged on a bed, in the shirt he had worn for eight years straight but that was now, after many wash cycles, clean. The jeans he wore were too big for him. He neither knew nor cared who they belonged to. The same went for the phone in his hand. It was an old model and wasn't working very well, and had little signal, but at least Perseus made a note of any phone numbers he may have needed to take note of. One of these was that of a contact, something to do with that girl he had worked with...he couldn't remember the contact, but he had tried Jasmin's phone several times.

The call was picked up. "Hallo?" Asked a heavily accented voice, before saying something in French.
A name came to Perseus' mind. "Agression?"
He could sense the ill smirk from Agression. "Ah, vous vous souvenez de moi...a qui je parle?"
"Uh...I don't speak French..."
"Perseus!"
"Where are you, Agression?"
"Quebec...you'll never guess what I've found."
"What?"
"Three little girls, living with their uncle, a low level Adept Mage...I am interested in these children..."
"Are they in danger?" Alarm bells began ringing in Perseus' head, always so concerned for children.
"Wait, one of the girls is the man's daughter...they are in danger..."
"Who are they? Do you know names?"
"Lydie, Clarice and Comfort. I have been watching them for a while."
His anxiety rose. "What sort of danger are they in? Agression?"
"Lydie and Clarice...are those not two of the daughters of the French Detective, Orage?"
"He's Grand Mage-" Perseus spat before he could stop himself. There was something in Agression's tone that was making him untrustworthy. "Facheux Agression, tell me what danger they are in, give me details, let me assess."
There was a sickening chuckle, a crash of glass...Perseus gasped as he heard the screams. "Agression!"
"They are in danger of me!" There was an hysterical laugh, more screaming, and then came the threat. "I'd like to see the Grand Mage. The French one. You think you can arrange that?"
Perseus found all words had left him. He made a few odd noises and listened to another laugh.
"I'll take that as a yes. You and your little web of contacts know what to do, and you of all people should know where to find me..." The connection was cut. The Cuban Mage sat there, trying to catch his breath Charles would be thrilled. He put down the phone and it began to ring. He picked it up again.
"This is Babs. We need to talk, Nyx."
"Nyx is not here. I am Perseus."
"What the hell are you doing with Nyx's phone?!"
"Trying to track down the French Grand Mage."
There was silence, some faint voices on the other end of the line, and a crackle as the phone was passed to someone new. "Who is this? Charles?" Jasmin asked, high-strung.
"Perseus. Charles is...elsewhere...but perfectly fine. I...where are you?"
"Australia."
"You need to get to Canada."
"...Why?"
"Lydie and Clarice. They're in danger. I'm going to contact Nightwish and Fiable."
"Wait-"
"I know the man who did this, I know what he's like. I have a plan, Jasmin."

-----

Jasmin bit his lip, but agreed to Perseus' terms as the plan was explained to him. He turned to the other men in the room. "I need to get to Canada...Toronto."
Fred gave a sharp nod. "I can arrange that...why?"
"Matter of life and death. Bad man has my daughters and niece."
Fred nodded again. "I know the feeling."
Lelenny gave him a confused look. "You do?"
He ignored him, taking out his phone. "This won't take long, Mr Orage."

-----

Charles sighed, sitting at a table on a door. Pons sat opposite him, playing cards. Charles scowled when his phone went off. "Hallo?" He asked down the line as Pons won the round.
"Charles!"
"Persey."
"Jasmin's safe. We're going to Toronto. Meet me there. It's am emergency."
"What...what sort of emergency?"
"Your nieces, Lydie and Clarice. Also Jasmin's niece, a girl named Comfort."
"What?"
"They're in danger. Meet me and Jasmin and Cadence at Toronto airport."

-----

He heaved a heavy sigh as he closed the connection. He went to pack his bag with clothes and food that didn't belong to him and snuck away from the house after taking enough money that wasn't his to buy a plane ticket to Toronto. This wasn't going to be good at all.

A couple of hours of an oddly turbulent flight later, and he disembarked into Canada. It was a nice summers day, and he had unknowingly been on the same flight as two of his contacts.

Charles spotted Perseus as he was getting his bags. He didn't approach him until they had passed passport control, by which point he had also spotted Cadence. Cadence approached Perseus first.

"Persey?"
"Cay! Glad you could make it!" He sped up and Cay tried to keep pace with him. It was difficult in her heels.
"Persey, you didn't tell me what this was about?"
"I didn't?"
"No..." She scowled as she spotted someone in a cafe, trying to stem a nose bleed. "You didn't tell me Jasmin was involved, either."
Charles came up behind them and cleared his throat. "Please tell me I haven't just disturbed two complete strangers...please, you two are Perseus and Cadence? I am really having trouble with my sight right now..."
Perseus nodded and took his boyfriend's hand. "I have an optician in my contacts. He's a miracle worker. Dorcas. You'll have to make do with a, uh, set of contact lenses though. He doesn't do glasses."
Charles nodded.

Dorcas held an instrument to Charles' eye. Cadence sat opposite Jasmin, who kept his eyes on the floor. Pons Exitacion sat between them, feet on the table, and Perseus was behind Charles' chair. Cadence scowled. "We were engaged."
Jasmin lowered his head even more.
"My sister had just died. You broke up with me and told me to leave the country! Why the hell would you do that?"
Jasmin mumbled something about Pourri.
"Pardon?"
"My ex-wife had just died, Cadence...you, her, Charles and Moineaux were the only people I trusted...two of them died, I saw their bodies and it made me sick. I didn't want to see another person close to me die, I had to cut off connection to them, I had to stop them being targets, and it hasn't worked! My daughters have still been kidnapped, are still being used against me, because of my stupid position of power! It means I can't be a good friend, or a good father, or anything!"
"He was worried about you...scared that he was going to get you killed." Charles offered.
"Everyone I get close to dies, and it's always my fault they were attacked!"
Charles pulled a face. "I started the fight that got Jalousie and Moyen and Poupee and all the rest killed, not you..."
"Keep your eyes open." Dorcas scolded.
Jasmin whimpered. "I dragged all of them along to the stupid club. Over half of you didn't want to go..."
"But I started the fight! You had nothing to do with it, I threw the punch that got all of McMooney and Vehemence's friends on our case!"
"I'm pregnant!" Cadence told Jasmin furiously. "Did you know that? I'm bloody pregnant and...and I've been pushed out to deal with everything by myself..."
"I'm not coping with any of this at all!" Jasmin shrieked back. "My daughter is dead, her mother is dead, my eldest blames me for both of those happening! It may well be my fault! I cannot run a country, my Sanctuary is compromised, France is under Mevolent's rule now, I've doomed my entire country, it was all I could do to so much as attempt to keep you and the girls safe, and I've failed that as well, haven't I?" He shrunk back, using the bloody tissues he'd been using for his nose to mop up the tears on his face.
Dorcas carefully placed a pair of contact lenses into Charles' eyes. The French Mage blinked rapidly, not liking the feeling at all. He frowned once he could see. His worse eye was seeing clear now, and that was the problem. He could see Jasmin's arms from here, where the jacket had pushed up a little. "You've been burning yourself..." he stated, dismayed.
The Grand Mage paled a little and tugged his sleeves down as far as they would go. "Shut up, Charles."
Cadence shook her head. It was now her turn to look at the floor.

Lydie struggled against the chains binding her to the wall. Clarice simply wailed. Agression appeared to be enjoying it. He didn't seem to notice the group of people coming through the window, not until they got to the stairs, when he turned and fired a gun into their midst. Pons was pitched head-first down the stairs. Jasmin fell over the railing, reaching out wildly and pulling poor Perseus with him. They both slowed their descent with the air, but Jasmin still had Persey land painfully on his freshly burnt arms. Charles got shot in the shoulder and Cadence shadow-walked away. Agression laughed, approaching the children. "Frivolidad, I thought you knew me better than that." He pulled a shot gun from his back, grinning, and pointed it at the two little girls. Jasmin groaned, pushed Perseus off him and saw.
"No! Stop!" He shrieked. He would have no chance of getting to Agression before he shot the gun, so, using the air, he launched himself at his daughters, throwing himself in front of them, confident his old jacket would protect them as he heard the double-barrel gun go off. He felt a sharp pain in his back, and a thunk beside it. Of course. His bullet-proof jacket was so old, so battered, that parts of it were no longer bullet-proof. Lucky shot, he thought as he heard the man reload. Perseus had been knocked out when he hit his head on the rail on the way over. Pons was unconscious. Charles couldn't see what was going on from where he was sat, trying to stem the bleed of his shoulder. Jasmin sobbed, doing his best to cover his daughters with his own body. The last thing to go through his mind was two large, lead bullets. He didn't die instantly. He knelt there, tears streaming, agony overwhelming, struggling to get a breath in. Lydie's amber eyes met his, watching in horror as the life left his eyes and he went limp over his two precious little girls. She began screaming and crying.

Charles frowned at the sound of his niece's screams. He got shakily to his feet, clutching his injured shoulder hard, and stumbled to the edge of the landing he was on. His eyes widened as he saw the blood on the back of Jasmin's head. His breathing became a little uneasy. Perseus came round with a heavy groan and Agression turned to him, reloading his shot gun. Charles flew to the bottom of the metal stairs, tripping over Pons' body and sprawling on the floor. He scrambled to his feet, ran to block Perseus from the line of fire. There was a wheezing sound coming from his boyfriend, worth concern. He spread his arms and legs out, like he was blocking a football goal. Then a hand reached from his torso, and Agression stopped grinning. He hadn't finished reloading yet. He had been gloating. Now he was rushing, dropping his bullets, terrified of getting sliced by that Gist...It was on him before he knew what was happening. He screamed as Charles Fiable's Gist raked its claws across his face and torso, doing such severe damage that he was dead in seconds. The Gist was pulled back into the French Detective, and he stumbled back, tripped and found his butt coming down hard on Perseus' chest. The Cuban Mage gave a pained wheeze and Charles willed himself to get up. His legs were like jelly, and he fell forward off his boyfriend. He looked up, saw Perseus rubbing his chest with an open hand, struggling for breath. Asthma attack. He closed the hand, kneading his chest with his fist, desperate to get some air in. Charles got to his hands and knees, looking desperately around. He went to check Agression's person, but found nothing of use. He looked at the three girls, chained together beneath Jasmin. He shakily made his way to them, pulled his brother-in-law off them and asked them desperately if any of them had asthma.
The girl he didn't recognise, Comfort, nodded. "I do...why?" She turned her head, craning her neck, and saw the fallen men, heard the wheezing.
"Do you have your inhaler on you?"
"My back pocket."
Charles nodded, digging his fingers into the pockets of her jeans, then running back to Perseus, giving him the medicine, trying his best to help him breathe.

Zacharie Souvenir and Jasmin Orage had both been killed. The brothers were laid to rest side by side, by Cadence's command, in Ireland. She refused to have them resting in a country ruled over by Mevolent. Comfort, Lydie and Clarice were put under the care of their last uncle, Charles. Charles and Perseus were staying with Dorcas, in Ireland, as for the moment nowhere else was safe for them. Pons was in hospital, having not yet woken up. His ID had identified him under his given name, Marion Darcy. Marion's condition was not good. He had broken a femur, dislocated a shoulder and was lucky not to have broken his neck. As it was, his skull was fractured. His skull! He had hit his head more times than would ever be healthy on those metal stairs. Cadence was making her way back to where Belinda used to live, now completely lost inside. Jasmin had died with her furious with him...

((Dear Fabi, writing this chapter made me cry. Please feel free to attack me with glitter throwers and flame throwers and glitter flames and all the rest.))

Friday, September 6, 2013

Erskine Ravel: Waiting For the Snake

Erskine turned over in his bed. He could hear the tapping branch, and the sound of breathing...He could see the outlines of the cot in the darkness. He didn't feel tired and he had been lying there for hours. He had just turned away from the clock, which told him it had just gone one in the morning. Sighing softly, he propped himself up on his elbows, giving a cautionary glance to his wife to make sure he didn't awaken her, and reached out for his crutches. There was movement to his left, and he froze for a second, but it was only Dextra. She was awake. He scooped her out of the cot before she started crying, using a papoose to carry her and move at the same time. He had taken to wearing it when he went to bed to make everything run more smoothly. As he made his way down the hall, he let the baby's fretting wash over him. It was almost calming after all these recent events. She was healthy, she was there, she was still under his care. Ah, now the tiredness was beginning to hit him. He stopped for a moment, feeling a little dizzy. Everything had gotten so bad so fast. He wasn't sleeping or eating properly, the fights with Madame Mist, the threats from the whole war...he couldn't orchestrate anything, either. He was stretched to breaking point. He couldn't concentrate on anything...Mist and Popularity had taken over control and were spearheading the investigation surrounding the deaths of the medical team and the kidnapping of Antonia. Biting his lip, he looked down, meeting Dextra's golden eyes. "You're a lovely girl..." he told her sadly. "You'll always be a lovely girl, and I don't want you to forget that...at the moment, everything's just unpredictable...I can never tell what's going to happen, I can't ensure your protection, or that of your sisters...I can't even tell if Antonia's alive or not any more..." He stopped, almost choking up. "You're my daughter, and I love you, and I always will...I love all three of you, I hate thinking something bad might happen to you, but I've been put in a position where I can't actually do anything..." Dextra shut her eyes, crying. She was hungry. So was he, he thought as he was hit by another wave of dizziness. "I'll do my best to make everything all right..." He promised quietly. "I'll do my very best."

Luca Cascabel was beautiful. She had always been beautiful. Her red hair reached her mid-back. The colour was dark and the strands were thick and healthy. She wore a minimum of make-up on her pale skin, her eyes drawing most attention away with their crystal blue colour. She walked through the Sanctuary, heels clacking loudly against the floor. Unaware he was dead, her worst fear was meeting with Zeus McMooney. They knew each other far too well for her liking. In fact, she would have loved to have been the one to kill his little companion, Ebenezer, and hopefully would be able to. Before she had met those two, she had been married and had four children, three boys and two girls, and she had been a very happy young Mage...her husband had been a mortal and was almost certainly dead by now...her children, she was never sure about them and never would be. As she walked, she could feel the inner beast inside, wanting so badly to get out, break free. She hated the feeling the serum gave her. Unfortunately, she needed it tonight. She hurried up a little, biting her lip. She needed to find him really badly. She caught a flash of elder robes turning a corner ahead and ran as best she could, catching up to Popularity. "Elder!" She yelled out. He stopped and turned to face her, arching a questioning eyebrow. "I...I need to talk to Grand Mage Ravel...I know it's really late, but it's really important...what I have to say concerns his daughter...the one that's gone missing."
The next thing she knew, she was being dragged along the halls by her wrist, led to a certain room while Elder Popularity knocked heavily on the door. After a while, crying started up, then Elder Mist opened the door, glaring. She wasn't wearing her veil, and Luca frowned. She had imagined something totally different. There was an odd sound to one side of them, like someone on crutches coming near...they turned and there stood Ravel. Luca swallowed nervously as Mist asked what this was about. "I...I have information concerning the whereabouts of the kidnapped infant...your kidnapped infant..."
Ravel suddenly seemed more alert. "You know where she is?"
"No, but I know who took her...his name was Destiny...Pixie Destiny...he's a known associate of Esra Sunshine..."

-----

Memphis wasn't entirely sure how he'd come to be in Texas. He was walking down a busy road, not yet noticed by the two men sat on the edge. There was a man with a tan from his long life in the same place, eating a small pot of four bean salad. He had mousy brown hair, wavy but Mem wouldn't say curly. It was curlier than that of the detective at least. He had square glasses with purple and white frames. He had a thin, pinched face with a wart on his chin and the almost shapeless suit he wore gave unnecessary volume to his figure, masking his muscle and tattoo work and making him seem overweight. He was never looked at twice by girls, not when accompanied by his friend. The second man wore sunglasses and shorts, no shirt. He had dark skin and was soaking in the sun, head tilted back, jet black hair swept back in a French plait. He was rather dashing, and rather muscular. He licked his lips in a sexual way and his lighter skinned companion scowled at him.
"You got my text." Memphis commented once he came in earshot.
The first man jumped and looked up at the Boston detective, squinting against the sunlight. "Well if it ain't ol' Heatwave..." he muttered, evidently having had no idea who had sent him the 'urgent' message.
Memphis gave a curt nod. "Long time no see, Xerxes."
Xerxes gave a slight smile. The dark-skinned mage peered at the detective over his sunglasses and frowned.
"Nemo, where's your shirt?"
"I'm trying to attract a mate." He replied sarcastically, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, where a group of young mortal girls were giggling in an irritating way. Speaking of young mortal girls...
"How's Lala?"
"Pregnant. How's River?"
Memphis hesitated. "That's why I wanted to talk to you two..."
"This can't be good..." Xerxes muttered. Memphis had known Xerxes Bloggs and Nemo Fumes for a fair while. They had been friends of Bernard's once upon a time...in fact, they had been encouraging his affair with the German girl, Rabe.
Memphis took a deep breath. "What do you know about remnants?"
Xerxes frowned. "I'm a bit of an expert..."
"There's something up with this one..."
"How long's it been bonded to her?"
"Since before we met...she had no clue it was in her...it was like the Remnant had no power, nothing, no access...is that possible?"
"No."
He hesitated. "You know about the war going on?"
Xerxes nodded. "I've heard a few snippets, few bits and pieces, but you know me, I tend to stay away from the gossip circles."
Nemo just looked confused. "There's a war?"
Memphis smirked. "You don't know about Bernard or Amadeus or Isaac?"
"Who's Amadeus?"
"Doesn't matter, he's dead."
Xerxes looked horrified. "Is Bernard dead too?"
Memphis nodded. "Melantha's fine, though...it was her who suggested you to me."
"She would..."
"She's your sister, isn't she? She told me that was why you and Bernard fell out..." The detective took a seat beside Nemo, chewing on a fingernail.
Nemo recognised this way of acting. Memphis was purposely avoiding talking about the war. "What about this war, Mem?"
There was another hesitation. "Mevolent's back...you've heard of Mevolent, haven't you Fumes?"
He nodded. He was considerably younger than the others.
"He's got River. He wants her for something. I haven't the slightest clue what...I want her back."
The two Texans exchanged worried looks. "You want to...what?" Xerxes asked, voice climbing in pitch.
"I don't quite know yet. I want to mount a rescue mission."
"For a Remnant..."
"She's more than that to me. I was told this was the sort of thing you two did a lot of."
"Back when we had Isaac and Felicity with us, and never anything against Mevolent..."
Memphis arched an eyebrow. "You had a reputation during the war for sneaking in and out of that base of operations unnoticed...you helped rescue a Dead Men member by sneaking The Torment in once."
"Ever think the stories about me might be exaggerated?"
"Once or twice."
"...I wish they were..." With a sigh, he got to his feet. "They got your wife, they killed Binding and Sult...and the things they've done to our Elders Council...I'm surprised we weren't called in to action earlier."
Nemo looked at the floor. "That's my fault...I prefer to be a nobody..."
Xerxes scowled at him again. "Dipshit." He spat on his hand and shook Memphis'. Nemo pulled a face and got up, pulling his shirt back on.

((...The Ravel stuff, I had no plan for it until I invented Luca about an hour ago...heck, she even becomes the snake...so sorry for torturing Ravel like that...unless you don't like him any more, in which case, yey torture...Now I have a problem...I think Xerxes would be perfect if coupled with Felicity Insouciant...Mortis' sister...I really want that to happen, but there is no universe in existence in which she's alive...))

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Austin Baritone: Shadow Cloaks and Flintlock Pistols

Once out of the sewer, Austin realised he was wearing a tatty jacket that was once fancy and most likely very expensive. It was completely ruined. No longer a trench coat...more a scarf...

Gale made him rest by the road side after he had done enough complaining and crying over what turned out to be a broken leg. The redhead heaved a sigh. "Don't think you should walk any more, Aus."
Austin didn't appear to be listening. In fact, he looked like he was going to be sick, and Daemon was backing away. Gale quickly wished he had done the same when Austin did indeed throw up over the two of them. The men both looked in dismay at what now coated their clothes and then the Necromancer gave a sheepish grin in response to the Elemental's deadly glare.
Daemon rolled up Austin's trouser leg. "Ooooh dear..."
Gale looked and pulled a face. "That looks...deadly..."
Daemon bit her lip. "Gale...I don't want him to die..."
"This road is never open, this sort of thing, he's too late for Mortal help and there's no way we could possibly get him help from a Mage..." He shook his head. "Austin?"
"Mmm?" The English Necromancer raised his head, having lain straight on his back after vomiting.
"I'm going to see if I can get any help...you need medical attention, and I'm going to find someone..." He turned to Daemon. "We can't let him just die like Aleron Hadrian down below...I'll do my best to find someone..."
The female Necromancer nodded, gripping her best friend's hand. "Stay strong, Baritone..."

-----

Three people had been walking for a very long time. "My feet are so sore! Can we find somewhere to rest, Millie?" Ursa Borealis moaned. Mildred Firestone shook her head firmly.
"There are a lot of dangers circling us right now, Ursa."
"Like?" He spat back.
"Like that friend of yours who wants you kind of dead."
Ursa stopped, looking confused. "Which friend is this?"
"Fred Mould...something's happened...he's no longer on the astral plane...he's gone...I think someone tried to bring him back..."
"...I'm dead..." He reached into his (stolen) satchel, hand closing around a (stolen) flintlock pistol. He was wearing a (stolen) red coat, very similar to the pirate-like coat Ricky Sloth wore (in fact, the exact same coat off the man's back) and had freshly combed his hair with a (stolen) comb. He had given Ricky and co a good run over while they slept. His eyes locked with those of Franz Ransom. Franz said nothing. He hadn't spoken since they had lost sight of Mortis and Jayden. Mort had Wilbur again. He clenched his fists and nodded to a point ahead of Ursa. The Australian Mage turned and saw a man lying alone by the road. It was dark and cold and he probably would have died if those three hadn't turned up. Millie frowned as Ursa rushed forward, checking the man's pulse. He didn't know the man at all. The clairaudient then hurried as best she could in her heels, removing her cloak, which was of a dark shimmering material that blended well with shadows, and draped it over the man in hopes of warming him. Franz knelt beside him, tucked the cloak around him and lifted him up. He wrinkled his nose at the smell the unconscious man gave off. "He's been through the wars, Millie...looks like he's been left for dead...smells like he's been sick on himself..."

-----

The redhead with the braces rolled his hazel-green eyes. He had quite an overbite, was in a relationship with Nyx Winterwash, was tall and skinny and normally quite a nervous and fidgety person. This was, regrettably, obvious the day he stood there, shivering, holding the Tommy Gun and trying not to look up and meet the eyes of this young lady before him. "My name is B-J Maleficent...what's so funny?!"
Pixie-Twist Destiny raised a hand to stifle his laughter. When he realised he was in trouble he swallowed anxiously. "Uh...nothing...what does the B-J stand for...?"
"Billie-Jinx..."
"...Can I call you Wilhelmina?"
"What?...Oh, whatever, sure, just...don't annoy me!"
He nodded, keeping his eyes down. "You...you have a job for me?"
"I have a problem I need a little help with..." She went over to the crib in the corner. "You've done nice work so far. You could only get one of the Grand Mage's children?"
"The others were, uh, being watched...there were American council members there at the time as well...it was difficult enough getting the hospital wing clear but for the child..."
"They'll be looking for her..."
"I kept a low profile. Nobody knows I'm even in the country, apart from yourself and Arduous..."
B-J nodded, sizing up the smarmy American. He had betrayed many sides more times than anyone could count out of his pure cowardess. She wasn't sure how much she trusted him, but a clever amount would be not at all. Antonia-Lily of Ireland was fast asleep. It was easy to hear that she was struggling a little to breath. She hadn't been ready to leave the hospital yet. B-J turned back to Pixie. "I have a proposition for you..."

-----

Austin Baritone came round, just as confused as he had been before, when Gale had been looking at his broken leg. The difference was now he could swing that leg off the sofa he was lying on with no pain whatsoever. He frowned, drawing the shadow cloak, as he almost instantly dubbed it by the way it looked and the way it moved and the way it fell across him. It was nice and warm, though. He still wasn't used to nice and warm. He took a look around this strange living room, feeling a little dizzy, and very hungry and thirsty. He could smell peaches. It took him a moment to realise it was him that smelled of peaches. He wasn't wearing the clothes he had been wearing before. No, he was wearing a burgundy shirt and denim dungarees. He took a deep breath in. "Huh."
"You're awake." Came a surprised voice. Australian. Baritone whirled to face the man. A redhead with blue eyes and tanned skin.
"Uh..."
The redhead followed the line of sight of the Necromancer, leading him to the ornate flintlock pistol in his grip that had once belonged to Garnet Dorado. "Oh, uh, don't worry about this...I was just putting it in a drawer...over there." He pointed with the gun. Baritone nodded.
"Could I...see that?"
The redhead shrugged and tossed it over. "It ain't loaded." He called lazily when the Necromancer caught it with a definitive air of fear. Baritone turned it over in his hands, curious. He had never held a gun before, but he liked it. Once he had worked out how to fire it, he turned to the redhead. "This yours?"
"Nah. Owner's dead." He replied, shrugging. "You want it?"
"I do."
"Keep it."
Baritone nodded, and slowly poured his magic into it.
"Your girlfriend's downstairs, by the way."
He looked at the redhead like he was nuts. "I don't have a girlfriend."
"Called 'erself Scaroe. Necro. Certainly said she was your girl."
"...Show me..."

((I have decided my murderous trio each have an ornate signature weapon, even though Gar prefers killing via garrotte, his is his pistol. Mort's is, obviously, Wilbur. Jayden's? I'll think about it...something like a knuckle duster comes to mind, but I want something more deadly...))

((Garnet's pistol...like, because I showed you all Wilbur before...and I guess now it's Austin's pistol...blame Derek...))